Healthcare hits a snag in Senate

Senators couldn't resolve differences over whether to create a public health-insurance plan, suggesting an uphill struggle in meeting their goal of passing a bipartisan healthcare bill by August. An 8 1/2-hour meeting last week featured "an awful lot of conflict," said Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley, the top Republican on the Senate Finance Committee. Aides who were present said even some Democrats expressed concern about creating a public insurance option as part of a broad plan to revamp the nation's healthcare system.